Rangers Preview

Last updated : 15 January 2004 By Firparkcorner

Having lost our last on our last twelve visits to Ibrox, it is hard to be optimistic.Indeed, we haven’t even managed to a goal in our last five matches there.However, there is little doubting that this Rangers team is as poor as it has been for years.Our tails should be up on the back of two good wins and it seems perfectly clear that we are visiting at a good time.

No need to worry about Ron this time

At a glance, Rangers home record this season looks impressive.They have won eight out of nine, losing only to Celtic.When you look a bit deeper though, we can see a little bit of hope.Hearts and Hibs were leading before losing, Dundee and (10 man) Aberdeen came close to holding out for draws and Dundee United were unlucky to not recover from two goals down.Even Thistle did better than their 3-1 defeat suggests.So, whilst Rangers have been winning, they haven’t always been convincing.In a total turnaround from their years of dominance, they have only kept five clean sheets at home this season, and two of those were against Forfar and St Johnstone.Teams now go to Ibrox expecting to score and we should be no different.

Rangers will be hampered by an injury to Chris Burke, a young Scottish winger who has looked dangerous in recent weeks.He will join long term casuality Ronald de Boer on the sidelines.We will be facing a squad likely to contain Capucho, Ostenstad and Bob Malcolm.Not quite as intimidating as Gough, Hately and Laudrup.

On our side, we will almost certainly keep the same starting eleven who performed so well at Perth.Depending on how their injuries are, Partridge and Craig might force a shuffle on the bench.

Despite the optimistic tone of this preview, it is hard to see us winning.We will give a good account of ourselves though as we lose 2-1.